Trash receptacle liner system and method

ABSTRACT

A trash receptacle liner having a liquid absorbent material located therein. The liquid absorbent material having a concentrated bacterial powder contained therein which reduces odors produced by refuse discarded into the trash receptacle. The liquid absorbent material may also include an insecticide.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a system for controlling odors and leakage intrash receptacles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In public areas such as shopping centers, fast food restaurants andmalls having food courts, waste management is an important concern. Tocontain the trash generated by such locations it is common to havenumerous trash receptacles available for public use. It is importantthat such receptacles be maintained free from odors and leakage whichwould detract from the cleanliness of the public areas. When trashreceptacles release liquids and odors insects can be attracted.Furthermore, liquids leaked from trash receptacles can also result inslip and fall accidents. Currently, these trash receptacles are linedwith a removeable plastic trash bag that is emptied when it is filledwith trash. These removeable trash bags do not control odors and areprone to leakage when liquids are discarded into the receptacles.

Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for a system which cancontrol odors and absorb liquids in trash receptacles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A trash receptacle liner having an absorbent material located thereinfor absorbing liquids. The absorbent material having a concentratedbacterial powder contained therein which reduces odors produced byrefuse discarded into the trash receptacle. Furthermore, a system andmethod for selecting a liner corresponding to a trash receptacle isdisclosed using color designation. Additionally, an insecticide may beadded to the liner to discourage insect infestation.

The invention will become more fully apparent from the claims and thedescription in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a liner formed of flexible material having a portion brokenaway to reveal an absorbent pad;

FIG. 2 shows the liner of FIG. 1 placed inside a trash receptacle; and

FIG. 3 shows the liner of FIGS. 1 and 2 having a trash bag containedtherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a trash receptacle liner 10 having an open top 12 and asealed bottom 14. The liner 10 is preferably formed of plastic materialsuch as polyethylene and may either be highly flexible orself-supporting. Other materials may be used but it is important thatthe liner 10 be formed of waterproof materials. A wafer 16 or sponge isplaced at the bottom 14. The wafer 16 is preferably formed of highlyabsorbent material, for example, in the preferred embodiment, a productsold under the trade name of ZORBA distributed by JohnsonDiverseyCorporation is used as the wafer material. Preferably, the wafer 16 isadhered to the bottom 14 of the liner 10 by a drop of silicone adhesive.The wafer 16 is impregnated with a concentrated bacterial powder whichhelps to reduce odors associated with the liquids absorbed in the wafer16. The preferred bacterial powder is BEC 150 distributed by GenesisTechnologies International. BEC 150 is a concentrated bacterial powderwhose formulation consists of a range of naturally occurringmicroorganisms which are not hazardous to humans and animals and has theability to break down proteins, carbohydrates, animal and vegetablefats, oils and cellulose for effective waste digestion and odorreduction and destroys odors naturally without the need of a fragranceor masking agent. As an example, for a standard 39 gallon trashreceptacle the liner 10 would include a wafer 16 about 12 inches indiameter impregnated with 3 ounces of concentrated bacterial powder. Inorder to reduce escape of the concentrated bacterial powder from thewafer 16, an opening 17 would be cut in the wafer 16 the concentratedbacterial powder inserted and then the opening 17 would be sealed with aglue strip or tape 18. Additionally, an insecticide may be added to theliner 10 either in combination with the wafer 16 or placed on the insideor the outside of the liner 10.

The liner 10 may include a drawstring 19 to secure the liner 10 to atrash receptacle 20 as shown in FIG. 2, but other means of securing theliner 10 may be used such as a rubber band (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows the liner 10 placed within a trash receptacle 20. The liner10 is preferably folded over the top edge 22 of receptacle 20 andsecured with the drawstring 19. The drawstring 19 is merely a suggestedmeans of securing the liner 10 to the receptacle 20 and other means maybe used or omitted altogether. The liner 10 may be suspended from thereceptacle edge 22 or the bottom 14 of the liner 10 may rest on the base24 of the receptacle.

FIG. 3 shows a trash receptacle 20 having a liner 10 and a trash bag 30contained therein. Use of the liner 10 allows the use of several trashbags 30 to be placed in the trash receptacle 20 and replaced when filledwith refuse while the liner 10 prevents leakage and odors fromaccumulating in the trash receptacle 20.

Another aspect of the invention includes the color coding of differentsized liners 10 which may have absorbent wafers 16 of proportional sizeand having a proportional amount of concentrated bacterial powdertherein. In this system, each different size of liner 10 would have adifferent color so that different sizes would be readily apparent. Whena liner 10 needed changed, another could be readily selected by color.This feature takes on added importance in a public area having differentsized trash receptacles. The time for change of the liner 10 can bedetermined when the absorbent wafer 16 is fully saturated. In such asituation, replacement liners may not be stored with the originalpackaging which designates its size, but it would be easy for thejanitorial crew to determine which liners go with which trashreceptacles merely by matching colors rather than trying to estimate thesize of liner required for a particular receptacle. Further, eachdifferently colored liner 10 would preferably have a differently sizedabsorbent wafer 16 which has a correspondingly proportional amount ofconcentrated bacterial powder therein.

While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, itis understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/oradaptations of the invention following in general the principle of theinvention and including such departures from the present disclosure ascome within the known or customary practice in the art to which theinvention pertains and as maybe applied to the central featureshereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention andthe limits of the appended claims.

1. A trash receptacle liner system, comprising: a) a flexible plastic bag having an open top and a closed bottom; b) an absorbent wafer located within said bag at the bottom; c) said absorbent wafer being impregnated with a concentrated bacterial powder.
 2. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a) said system includes a plurality of sizes of flexible plastic bags, each of said sizes of bags being of a different color.
 3. A trash receptacle liner system, comprising; a) a plurality of trash receptacle liners of different sizes; b) a first of said liners being of a larger size than a second of said liners; c) said first of said liners being a first predetermined color and a second of said liners being of a different color than said first of said liners; d) said first of said liners having a first absorbent wafer located therein for absorbing liquids collected in said first of said liners; e) said second of said liners having a second absorbent wafer located therein for absorbing liquids collected in said second of said liners; f) wherein said first wafer is of a larger size than said second wafer;
 4. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 3, wherein: a) said first wafer includes a quantity of bacterial powder.
 5. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 4, wherein: a) said first wafer includes a quantity of concentrated bacterial powder.
 6. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 4, wherein: a) said second wafer includes a quantity of bacterial powder.
 7. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 4, wherein: a) said plurality of trash receptacle liners includes more than two of said liners and each of said liners is of a different size and color.
 8. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 3, wherein: a) said first wafer includes a quantity of bacterial powder.
 9. A method of reducing odors and leakage from trash receptacles, comprising the steps of: a) forming a liner of strong flexible material having an open top and a sealed bottom; b) placing and adhering a highly absorbent wafer at the bottom of said liner; c) impregnating said wafer with a concentrated biological powder; d) placing said liner in a trash receptacle e) whereby said highly absorbent wafer collects leakage in said receptacle and said biological powder controls odors in said receptacle.
 10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of: a) placing trash collecting bags within said liner when said liner is placed in a trash receptacle.
 11. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein: a) the step of impregnating said wafer with said concentrated biological powder occurs prior to adhering said wafer to said liner.
 12. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of: a) applying insecticide to said liner.
 13. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising: a) an insecticide applied to said liner.
 14. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a) an insecticide applied to said liner. 